Looking for a way to put your faith into practice by serving our clients or assisting our staff? Recently retired and have skills to offer? Are you in high school or college and looking for ways to enhance your skills and experience?
We have one-time and group volunteer opportunities, roles that need volunteers on an ongoing basis, and even programs that need volunteers who can commit to helping out every week.
Questions about our volunteer program and opportunities? Call our volunteer coordinator at 937.223.7217 ext.1130.
There are so many people in this community who need help, and when you see the variety of challenges that people are faced with it can be a little overwhelming. But it’s also rewarding to know that you can welcome them in, and you know that they are going to get the help they need.
The beautiful thing about volunteering for Catholic Social Services is that it gives you a chance to live your faith. I have seen how the agency touches people. I feel lucky that I get to share that message with the community.
Submit a Volunteer Application
Prospective volunteers are asked to complete our online application form.
CLICK HERE for the application.
Attend a Volunteer Orientation Session
To learn more about how you can help, we invite you to attend a volunteer orientation session. Upcoming dates include:
- December 12 at 10:00 am
- December 17 at 4:00 pm
Please contact Aliesha Caldwell at caldwella@cssmv.org for location and registration details, or for additional dates if we’ve passed the listed dates but haven’t yet updated this page.
Review our Handbooks & Information
These materials are part of the orientation process, but you’re welcome to review them in advance. Just click the name of the document to view it as a PDF.
Our Most Urgent Needs
Brown Street Front Desk Volunteers
The Volunteer Front Door Admin position at our Center for Families on Brown Street involves managing the entry process for visitors, assisting with check-ins, answering general questions, and ensuring smooth operations at the front desk. Normal building hours are 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30am to 4:00pm on Fridays, so we’re looking for volunteers who will commit to a regular schedule (a few hours every week) in coordination with our team to ensure that we can maintain coverage. If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please contact Shay Augustin at 937.223.7217 ext.2110 or email her at augustins@cssmv.org.
Sunday Visitation Monitors
Erma’s House Family Visitation Center in Dayton offers a supervised, safe, and neutral environment for children to visit with their non-custodial parents. Volunteer monitors are needed to supervise these visits ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS. Visitations generally last 1 to 2.5 hours. Must be at least 18 years old. Training provided. For more information, please call Aliesha Caldwell at 937.223.7217 ext.1130.
Sunday Reception Desk at Erma’s House
Erma’s House Family Visitation Center in Dayton is a comfortable, homelike atmosphere that provides a safe, structured, neutral alternative to unsupervised visits so that children of any age may visit with their non-custodial parents. Erma’s House was created to assist families that have difficulty interacting in a non-threatening, appropriate manner, and is structured to provide safety to both the custodial parent and the children. The need for supervised visitation may be due to issues related to divorce or separation, protection/restraining orders between parties, threats, child abuse or neglect issues, safety concerns or other visitation issues where a neutral setting would increase a family’s level of comfort or safety.
In consultation with Visitation Center Coordinators and other program staff, the Sunday Reception Desk Volunteer will be involved in the following tasks:
- Greet the custodial parents and child/children in the lobby as they enter the building for visitation.
- Provide a sign-in log sheet for the custodial parent to sign at drop off & pick up of the child/children.
- Assist visitation monitors in connecting with their assigned family waiting in the lobby.
- Interact well and appropriately with children to ensure they feel safe and comfortable during the transition of drop off & pick up times.
- Inform visitation monitors when the custodial parent has arrived for pick-up.
- Monitor the custodial parking lot by keeping an eye on the CCTV (closed-circuit TV system) camera.
- Maintain confidentiality of client information.
Time Commitment:
- Commit to weekly or bi-weekly schedule on Sundays.
- Sunday hours of operation are 1:00 to 5:00pm. A Sunday Reception Desk Volunteer will work for that full period OR serve a 2-hour shift from 1:00 to 3:00pm.
- Training will be provided and is required.
For more information, please call CSSMV Volunteer Coordinator Aliesha Caldwell at 937.223.7217 ext.1130.
Volunteer Drivers
Catholic Social Services has a volunteer driving program to expand transportation options in Auglaize, Champaign, Darke, Logan, Mercer, Preble, and Shelby Counties. We are also in the process of growing the service into Miami, Montgomery, Greene, and Clark Counties. One of the goals of the program is to eliminate gaps in transportation that exist because of the lack of cross-county and region-to-region transport.
This program is focused on transporting individuals to medical and non-medical appointments and to employment. The highest-priority populations are older adults, individuals with disabilities, and low-income populations who don’t have access to other options. The program is meant to allow access for those who need transportation outside of traditional transit hours and who cannot afford the high cost of private providers.
We are currently working to recruit and train additional volunteer drivers. The training includes ODOT Drive training, CPR and First Aid, SafeParish training, and Defensive Driving training. Volunteers provide curb-to-curb transportation, using their personal vehicles to transport within their county and adjoining counties.
Each driver accepted into the program is encouraged to volunteer for at least two round-trip assignments per month. Although the position is volunteer, there is some compensation to account for gas allowances, insurance costs, and vehicle depreciation.
If you’re interested in helping your neighbors by becoming a volunteer driver, please contact Heather Robison for more information at 1.833.289.0227 ext.1195.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
Choice Food Pantry
You or your group can help with unloading and restocking food, serving as a personal shopper, or providing curbside service.
If you’re willing to make a longer-term commitment, we also use trained volunteers to assist with the client intake process.
Refugee Resettlement
Depending on your interests and skills, you might serve as a mentor to a teen or young adult; become a tutor to help refugees learn and practice English; serve as an interpreter; become a volunteer employment coach; or even help set up a home for a newly arriving refugee family.
Service Project Opportunities
If you are a family, group or individual looking for a service project to support our agency, the following are suggestions for short-term, seasonal, or one-time activities. If you have other ideas, we’d love to hear from you. Contact our Volunteer Coordinator at 937.223.7217 ext.1130.
- Work in the Choice Food Pantry
- Help set up an apartment for refugee arrivals
- Disinfect toys at Erma’s House and match game pieces
- Assist with fundraising events
- Landscaping – rake leaves, pick up trash, plant flowers and help make our buildings attractive and inviting
- Hold a donation drive for items needed by one or more of our programs; visit our Donate Needed Items page for wish lists and other information
Eckerle Administration Center
922 West Riverview Avenue
Dayton, OH 45402
(937) 223-7217 or (800) 300-2937
General email: cssmv@cssmv.org
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- PASSPORT Services Help Older AdultsSeptember 27, 2024 - 1:47 pm
PASSPORT is for adults aged 60 and older who may need the level of care provided in a nursing home but hope to stay in their own homes. It is a statewide program funded by Medicaid so participants must be Medicaid-eligible. The first step is an assessment by a nurse or social worker who determines if the older adult would qualify according to level of care requirements. The local Job and Family Services then determines Medicaid eligibility and approves enrollment. Once enrolled, an individual is assigned a care manager who develops a care plan with customized services to help the individual remain safely at home. The care manager makes sure that needs are met with quality services and revises the care plan as needs change.